Doncaster Old Time

Subject: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 11:22 AM

I'm starting an occasional American Old Time session tonight in the Three Horseshoes, Doncaster on the old North Bridge, just North of the river. The landlord, Barry, is a keen musician and loves live music in his pub, having several other sessions during the week. I've contacted a number of interested musicians, and we should have a good evening. There could be at least one major surprise player.

If you want to give it a go, bring a suitable instrument (guitar, 5-string banjo, fiddle, mandolin, acoustic bass - absolutely no percussion of any sort). If you don't know the tunes, they always get played enough times to get close to them, unlike boring British tunes which have to be stopped after three times through to stop the musicians falling asleep (runs for cover....)

Start time - after 8.30
Cheers
Ray (Chairman of Foaotmad)

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Sooz
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 11:54 AM

Getting ready for Gainsborough in February?

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 01:48 PM

I certainly am, Sooz - we've got a good line up coming, with Alan Jabbour, Gandydancer, Ulf Jagfors, Doctor Proctor, and the Hen House Allstars. Fine fiddle and banjo workshops and some insight from Ulf into how the banjo came from Africa.
More later.
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: greg stephens
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 02:18 PM

I'm interested in your ban on percussion for this session. I agree entirely on the necessity of shooting people with bodhrans and weird contraptions made out of bundles of firewood bought on stalls at Sidmouth. And there can be no more repellent object at a session than a lagerphone/zobstick decorated with tassels on the top and an old boot nailed to the bottom. Well, there can actually,the bearded social worker owner thrashing it on the floor.
    But actually, I think if you were to have a close listen and look at oldtime recordings and archival film, you will find a splendid range of washboards,spoons, cloggers, triangles etc....and the world would be a poorer place without them. So what is the answer to this dilemma?

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: GUEST,cookieless Nickp
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 02:29 PM

Ray...... you forgot to tell me early enough!!!!

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: oombanjo
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 02:54 PM

Ray. I am on my grandsons computer as i do grandad duties on Thursdays, this on being the 11th, any other night or weekend I could get over best of luck.    oombanjo.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 03:23 PM

Setting off in a minute.
Shame we didn't know sooner or might have been able to do a deal with number 1 son to babysit, so unfortunately I'll be alone this time.
Quack!!
Geoff.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 06:42 PM

OK you've had him long enough send him home now :0)

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 07:52 PM

Greg - I know there are some nice percussion bits on some of the good old recordings, but when someone bashes something in a session, it usually leads to no-one being able to hear the best players, and turns the tune into mud. Having said that, I do enjoy a good dancer adding some sound occasionally.
Well - it was a fine session. Geoff the Duck, Banjo Flower and me were the mudcat contingent. The surprise musician was in fact Dave Bing the West Virginia fiddle player who's giving a fiddle workshop in Gainsborough this weekend - what a player, on a gorgeous fiddle he made himself. Keith Johnson, one of the instigators of Foaotmad and Dave's landlord was there with his banjo, as were the band of the Bootleggers Appalachian dance team from Scunthorpe.
Sorry Nick, next time we have a thursday session I'll try and give people a little more warning - we didn't decide to do it till wednesday!
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 11 Nov 04 - 07:58 PM

Thanks for inviting myself and the other Bootlegger musicians we really enjoyed ourselves

Gerry

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: GUEST,MC Fat
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 08:18 AM

Glad to hear it went well Ray give the fat bloke's regards to Barry

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Tig
Date: 12 Nov 04 - 06:05 PM

If I can't bring ANY of my toys I don't want to come to your session anyway!!!!!!

Some of us percussionists appreciate the finer points of NOT drowning out people - obviously you only know the noisy ones.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 18 Nov 04 - 08:14 PM

Well, it was such a good session we're having another next Thursday, 18th Nov in the three horseshoes. We won't have Dave Bing, but we'll do our bestest to play some good Old Time music. Jim - I'll pass on your regards to Barry. Maybe people who needed more notice might make it this time, Jane!
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 19 Nov 04 - 02:34 PM

We're going to have childminding problems on Thursdays as No1 son has changed his work shift. It will make it difficult if not impossible for more than one of us to get to any of these sessions.
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: GUEST,Guest
Date: 19 Nov 04 - 07:12 PM

Percussionist is this another name for a rap bodrahn player

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 19 Nov 04 - 07:57 PM

Could be if I knew what you meant!
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 20 Nov 04 - 02:12 PM

Bit confused Ray - which Thursday are we talking about? Unfortunately it is unlikely that I will be able to get there but hopefully Geoff might make it again.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 20 Nov 04 - 06:48 PM

It's this thursday, Jane - 25th november. Sorry we may not see you as well as Geoff.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 24 Nov 04 - 06:12 PM

Last time someone left a tuner which Barry the landlord is holding - you can get it it back if you come tonight (thursday from 8.30).
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 25 Nov 04 - 03:23 PM

Both full of cold so neither of us venturing South tonight. Maybe next time. Its possible tuner is ours but will check.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Banjo-Flower
Date: 25 Nov 04 - 05:35 PM

Hope you had a great night Ray sorry I could 'nt be there(but you know the reason why)

Gerry

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 25 Nov 04 - 08:02 PM

It was a good 'un, Gerry - only 4 of us (Phil, Geoff, Keith & me), with 2 fiddles, 2 banjos, guitar and mandolin, but the music was fine, and landlord and customers bought us appreciative drinks!
Next one (the last before christmas) will be in two weeks - December 9th. Hope Geoff & Jane's colds are better long before then.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 06 Dec 04 - 05:27 AM

Next session will be this thursday.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 08:04 AM

And like all old time sessions it'll be very refreshing.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 07 Dec 04 - 03:04 PM

Not sure how we are for availability this week. I could do with getting there to recover my electronic tuner before life gets too busy with Christmas stuff. We'll have to see how things go!
Quack!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 08 Dec 04 - 07:48 AM

This'll be our last session before Christmas, and possibly one on 6th Jan. After that we probably won't have one till after the Gainsborough festival on Feb 11,12,13. I'll be touring most of January with Tom, Brad and Alice and Debby McClatchy - I'll be starting a thread on that shortly.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 11:50 AM

I'll hopefully be down for this session.
If not I'll have to make other arrangements to collect my tuner.
Quack!!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 12:03 PM

See you tonight, Geoff -hopefully.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 07:34 PM

It was a good one. Guitar player Geoff was poorly with flu but a guy called Terry who'd been teaching guitar all day at the college wandered in and joined us - just the job. We had Phil on fiddle and mandolin, BanjoFlower on mandola, Geoff The Duck on banjo and fiddle, and me on banjo and fiddle. Next one'll be in the new year sometime.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 09 Dec 04 - 07:57 PM

Hope to get to this next year.Have a great time with Debbie and gang ! . All the best , guy

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: GUEST,Greycap
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 03:19 AM

Folks,
Sorry couldn't make it last night, was tied up with a burglary insurance claim and simply couldn't get away in time,
Roger Knowles

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 10 Dec 04 - 03:46 AM

OK, Roger - I assumed it was the fog on the A1 as reported by Geoff the Duck.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 06:27 AM

Thought I'd better retrieve this from Max's dustbin!
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 06:47 AM

Have a good one Ray. Me and my shiny new Octave Mandolin will pop along soon. Can't come on the 16th.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Hand-Pulled Boy
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 07:37 AM

Are you becoming a true 'Folkie' Ted?

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: oombanjo
Date: 15 Jun 05 - 06:20 PM

I thought it was a shiny Octive mandola Ted, or was it just   Ola
Let us know when the next do is on Ray, once Beverley is over it's free time until Hugh's do.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 16 Jun 05 - 07:27 PM

It was a good session -Doug Chadwick brought his fiddle over from Grimsby, Banjo Flower brought his mandola, Phantom Phidler phidled, Geoff Levoguer was solid on guitar. Excellent.
We'll have another in maybe a couple of weeks.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: English Jon
Date: 17 Jun 05 - 07:04 AM

bugger. missed it. and me in belle vue. bah!

EJ

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: FantomPhiddler
Date: 18 Jun 05 - 05:28 AM

Was a great session thoroughly enjoyed by all. Surprise appearance of Doug! Great to have you there Doug (don't forget the cap :-) )
Looking forward to next time
FantomPhiddler (with a double D Ray :-) )
see ya's all wednesday

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 20 Oct 05 - 08:49 PM

Well it's happening again - 8pm Thursday 27th October, we'll be having another Old Time session in the Three Horseshoes, Doncaster. Barry The Banjo Playing Landlord has retired and is now living on a barge, but the new man (who's name I haven't learned yet) is just as keen to have sessions in his pub. In a few weeks we're hoping to have Dave Bing (West Virginia fiddler extraordinaire) at a session, so we're getting together next Thursday for a bit of a warm-up, and see how many tunes we can get together.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 21 Oct 05 - 06:07 AM

I wonder if the Ducks'll have flown home by then?

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: nickp
Date: 21 Oct 05 - 02:44 PM

Not affected by bird flu one must hope.

Nick

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 25 Oct 05 - 08:01 AM

What a nice pub the Three Horseshoes is - at last night's Irish session the landlord brought us in a large plate of chips and bread and butter. I suppose the manufacture of chip butties is one way of shutting up a bunch of musicians. Jim who plays uillean pipes said he fancied coming to the Old Time jam, but promised to leave his pipes at home. He's a lovely player but...
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 26 Oct 05 - 05:36 PM

Unfortunately we've had to postpone tomorrow's session - we're putting it back a fortnight, due to unexpected commitments by some of the perpetrators. Ah well, at least I'll get to the Sheffield Folk Festival old time jam in the Bath Hotel on friday.
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 26 Oct 05 - 06:37 PM

Good news about putting the session back cause the Ducks are comming to my house tonight in Litchfield Connecticut USA . I doubt they would have been home in time for this session. At least I can ask Geoff all about it and hear how great it's group is !! All the best , Guy Wolff

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 26 Oct 05 - 07:09 PM

Thanks, Guy - Give my regards to Geoff & Jane and have a great time.
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 02 Nov 05 - 08:41 PM

We're having a session in the Three Horseshoes on Thursday 10th Nov. at 8 pm. Alan Green's coming down from near Berwick-on-Tweed - one of the UKs best old time fiddlers. I'm working on Dave Bing being there from West Virginia - I'll see him this weekend. The Bootleggers band from Scunthorpe should be there as well. It's got all the makings of a good 'un.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: oombanjo
Date: 03 Nov 05 - 03:39 PM

Hi Ray are you going to be at Gainsborough 11/12/13? and do you know of any old time fiddlers around the Hull Beverley area, as Linda and Hazel are interasted in getting some old time songs together for Sewerby next year. Cheers Oombanjo.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 03 Nov 05 - 07:11 PM

Yes, John, I'll be at Gainsborough for the intermediate fiddle class with Dave Bing - I assume you're doing the Diane Jones banjo class? I'm afraid Sheelagh's the only OT fiddler I know in East Yorkshire! Linda and Hazel should maybe listen to Alice Gerrard and Hazel Dickens recordings to get a good feel of ladies singing old time.
Are you thinking of coming to the session?

Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 04 Nov 05 - 07:21 AM

I've just spoken to Dave Bing, and he'll be at the session. It's going to be great!
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 04 Nov 05 - 12:10 PM

Geoff will definitely be there and so will I if son will babysit. Maybe Linda and Hazel might come. I am trying to get some old time songs under my belt too and not just the Oh Brother soundtrack ones although I enjoy doing them. I listen to Kate Lisseur and Debbie McClatchy but would welcome ideas of other singers to listen to.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Guy Wolff
Date: 04 Nov 05 - 04:17 PM

Lilly May Ledford of the Coon Creek Girls has a great CD out . Everything On music from Clarence Tom Ashleys can be played for the female voice. I try to get you some of these .. More soon G

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 04 Nov 05 - 07:09 PM

Jane - Great that Geoff and hopefully you will be there. I think there's a good chance that Diane Jones'll be there as well - she's Dwight Diller's replacement banjo teacher at the Gainsborough workshops. She plays with the Reed Island Rounders with Betty Vornbrock and Billy Cornette, and I know she enjoys sessions much more than Dwight ever did - Dwight could never stand to see people thrashing about and misusing technique, which is half the fun of sessions. See my post after Oombanjo's in this thread for my recommendations on old time women singers. Carl Jones and Beverly Smith are great too, as is Guy's Lily May Ledford.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 08 Nov 05 - 03:20 PM

It looks like we can both make it, Ray. Looking forward to some good old times...
See you on Thursday!
Quack!
Geoff.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: GUEST,BanjoRay
Date: 09 Nov 05 - 05:19 AM

Excellent, Geoff & Jane - see you there.
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 07 Dec 05 - 07:16 PM

Well, we're going to have a pre-Christmas Old Time session, usual place, usual time on Thursday 15th Dec, So get out your straw hats and bib overalls, and....

Get your banjo off the wall, grab your fiddle, Bill;
Hitch the horses to the sleigh, we're going up Sugar Hill

Cheers and yahoooo!
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Peter K (Fionn)
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 06:01 AM

Is "usual place" the Three Horseshoes? What time on 15th?

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 08:06 AM

Hi Fionn - about 8pm till late.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 08 Dec 05 - 02:56 PM

I can't make it this time Ray. I'll be busy sorting Christmas cards for the Scouts' Christmas Post next Thursday. It's a pity because I really enjoy the Old Time session. I'll look forward to the next one.


DC

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 12 Dec 05 - 07:37 PM

A reminder - Get some refreshment at the JAM on thursday 15th, Three Horseshoes, 8pm
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: Geoff the Duck
Date: 13 Dec 05 - 08:00 AM

Hopefully we will both be able to make it to the session again.
Quack!
Geoff.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: GUEST,BanjoRay
Date: 13 Dec 05 - 06:31 PM

Excellent, Geoff - no American stars this time, so we can do our own stuff.
See you there
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: BanjoRay
Date: 14 Dec 05 - 05:54 PM

Final refresh before the session. I think I'll take my fiddle as well as my banjo, just to annoy everyone.
Cheers
Ray

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: GUEST,GtD.
Date: 15 Dec 05 - 12:12 PM

I'll bring my kazoo just in case you've missed annoying anyone!1
Quack!!!
GtD.

Subject: RE: Doncaster Old Time
From: GUEST,Fantom Phiddler
Date: 15 Dec 05 - 01:17 PM

I will be there... not sure if banjo flower can make it but will give him a call later... looking forward to it... was thinking of bringing the double bass but I have to drop off a car full of horny women for their girls night out at a night club on the way out.. (I may be a little late getting there hehehe!) see ya's all there...